With a lineup like the one here at at Tattoo Hollywood, there has been no shortage of tremendous tattoo work walking through the doors. One of the most impressive projects we’ve seen, however, belongs to David up there, who’s been steadily covering his entire body in portraiture over the last few years. Having been worked on exclusively by brothers Mikey (at Rubes Tattoo in Arcadia) and Tommy Montoya (at Inkslingers in Alhambra), the suit is as cohesive as one could hope for, even though the subject matter varies wildly from musicians to horror movie characters to comedians to inventors. When we were photographing him, some of his friends were making light fun of him for being a bit on the heavier side (“Make sure you get his nipples in there!”), but to hear David tell it, if he were smaller, he wouldn’t have room for all this excellent work. Hard to argue with that. Lots more, after the jump.
Photos by Phil Barbosa.
Comments
148 responses to “David’s Portrait Bodysuit”
The Hannibal portrait is immaculate.
That kind of detailing?
Wow.
And the Mona Lisa is just as perfect as all the other portraits.
It’s just the angle.
In the second picture it looks fine.
The Hannibal portrait is immaculate.
That kind of detailing?
Wow.
And the Mona Lisa is just as perfect as all the other portraits.
It’s just the angle.
In the second picture it looks fine.
This art would be alot more enjoyable if this guy worked out every once in a while. A bad body can ruin a good tattoo.
This art would be alot more enjoyable if this guy worked out every once in a while. A bad body can ruin a good tattoo.
how about you post a picture of yourself so we can scrutinize your body, sphincter boy?
how about you post a picture of yourself so we can scrutinize your body, sphincter boy?
Inner dialogue: “cool… cool…. impressive… MISTER BEAN FTW!!!”
Inner dialogue: “cool… cool…. impressive… MISTER BEAN FTW!!!”
#52 (Kevin). If he were any smaller he wouldn’t have that much room for all of his tattoos. Think about it 🙂
#52 (Kevin). If he were any smaller he wouldn’t have that much room for all of his tattoos. Think about it 🙂
These pics are great but his work really needs to be seen in person – as impressive as it looks here in these photos it is really so much better in reality
These pics are great but his work really needs to be seen in person – as impressive as it looks here in these photos it is really so much better in reality
as a tattooed fatty, I gotta say mad props to my guy up there for doing his thing and having awesome artists as friends.
And to all you haters, he may be fat, but you’re ugly on the inside. And he could still lose weight.
as a tattooed fatty, I gotta say mad props to my guy up there for doing his thing and having awesome artists as friends.
And to all you haters, he may be fat, but you’re ugly on the inside. And he could still lose weight.
That is pretty damn awesome.
More skin = more art – seems like a good deal to me. Some people obviously have more interesting things to worry about than a little bit of extra body fat, and good on him! Who says it makes a body ‘bad’, just because it doesn’t conform to your particular idea of beauty…?
Hannibal. <3
That is pretty damn awesome.
More skin = more art – seems like a good deal to me. Some people obviously have more interesting things to worry about than a little bit of extra body fat, and good on him! Who says it makes a body ‘bad’, just because it doesn’t conform to your particular idea of beauty…?
Hannibal. <3
Those are pretty amazing. I especially love Hannibal and Lily Munster. Mr Bean’s a bit off, though.
Those are pretty amazing. I especially love Hannibal and Lily Munster. Mr Bean’s a bit off, though.
wow; beautiful
wow; beautiful
some of them are amazing, and some of them are just good… and “just good” is no small feat! i hated doing portraits in art class, because it was so hard to capture the person, even if you do all the proportions and everything right.
and let him alone about his body – he might come after you, and he looks like he could level a football player…
some of them are amazing, and some of them are just good… and “just good” is no small feat! i hated doing portraits in art class, because it was so hard to capture the person, even if you do all the proportions and everything right.
and let him alone about his body – he might come after you, and he looks like he could level a football player…
I could look at this fat guy all day long : )
I could look at this fat guy all day long : )
amazing
amazing
&46 and others:
It’s true, I”m not a tattooer (not counting the times my friend had me tattoo him), but, I do have tattoos (including portraits), I have had a few tattooers in my art classes, and I’ve seen many tattoo portraits that is way above my skill level.
I was just saying that, even though tattoo artists don’t have erasers, they have stencils and pictures to draw from. And I know that a tattoo machine is not as easy to use as charcoal, paint, graphite, ect.
But I have also worked with mediums that you can’t erase (non water soluble india ink was our medium in life drawing yesterday, on a sketch pad you can’t erase that shit!)
and like I said, the majority of his portraits are good, and it could just be the camera angle/lighting that makes the mona lisa look not-so-great.
&46 and others:
It’s true, I”m not a tattooer (not counting the times my friend had me tattoo him), but, I do have tattoos (including portraits), I have had a few tattooers in my art classes, and I’ve seen many tattoo portraits that is way above my skill level.
I was just saying that, even though tattoo artists don’t have erasers, they have stencils and pictures to draw from. And I know that a tattoo machine is not as easy to use as charcoal, paint, graphite, ect.
But I have also worked with mediums that you can’t erase (non water soluble india ink was our medium in life drawing yesterday, on a sketch pad you can’t erase that shit!)
and like I said, the majority of his portraits are good, and it could just be the camera angle/lighting that makes the mona lisa look not-so-great.
actually, i’m not sure if non water soluble Higgins ink is technically india ink, forgive my ignorance.
actually, i’m not sure if non water soluble Higgins ink is technically india ink, forgive my ignorance.
*that are way above
fucking typos
*that are way above
fucking typos
I totally understand what you’re saying, Lee. I look at it this way – most of the good tattoo artists I know are also great traditional media artists whereas most traditional artists are not, without years and years of practice, even passable tattoo artists. I’m sure there are exception. And it seems weird to call tattoo artists ‘nontraditional’ when the art form is much older than some things I would consider ‘traditional’, but I’m sure you get my meaning.
I totally understand what you’re saying, Lee. I look at it this way – most of the good tattoo artists I know are also great traditional media artists whereas most traditional artists are not, without years and years of practice, even passable tattoo artists. I’m sure there are exception. And it seems weird to call tattoo artists ‘nontraditional’ when the art form is much older than some things I would consider ‘traditional’, but I’m sure you get my meaning.
wow. i thought it would be just a bunch of crappy random pictures, but DAMN that looks amazing. (and i hate portraits, usually) great work!
wow. i thought it would be just a bunch of crappy random pictures, but DAMN that looks amazing. (and i hate portraits, usually) great work!
The difference between ink on paper and ink on skin is that you can throw the paper out if it’s no good. If it’s in skin, you can’t just start over on a new piece of paper (or canvas).
The difference between ink on paper and ink on skin is that you can throw the paper out if it’s no good. If it’s in skin, you can’t just start over on a new piece of paper (or canvas).
gorgeous work on such a handsome man;)
iv stared at these pictures for the past half hour. just beautiful, talented, skill. 🙂
i would love to meet the man that will sit and do my whole bodysuit…
gorgeous work on such a handsome man;)
iv stared at these pictures for the past half hour. just beautiful, talented, skill. 🙂
i would love to meet the man that will sit and do my whole bodysuit…
Oh no. There is another Lilly on here, lol. This body suit is amazing. The way things flow together is outstanding.
Oh no. There is another Lilly on here, lol. This body suit is amazing. The way things flow together is outstanding.
bean
bean
quite amazing.
quite amazing.
Is that Tesla on his shoulder?
Is that Tesla on his shoulder?